Wildcats Host Cardinals in Regular Season Finale
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After snapping a five-game losing stretch with a 58-10 rout of Charlotte last week, Kentucky will return to action with its regular-season finale on Saturday, playing host to in-state rival Louisville at Noon ET at The New Commonwealth Stadium. UK will honor 19 seniors prior to the game in a special “Senior Day” ceremony.
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| Louisville at Kentucky | ||
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| Sat., Nov. 28 – 12 p.m. ET Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, Ky. Game Notes: UK  | UL Digital Gameday Program Gameday App |
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TV: SEC Network |
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| UK | 2015 Team Stats | UL |
| 5-6 | Record | 6-5 |
| 2-6 | Conference Record | 5-3 |
| 24.7 | Scoring/game | 28.0 |
| 379.4 | Total offense/game | 398.7 |
| 169.1 | Rushing yards/game | 145.6 |
| 210.3 | Passing yards/game | 253.1 |
| 22.1 | Kickoff returns (avg) | 21.4 |
| 7.4 | Punt returns (avg) | 4.7 |
| 39.4 | Punting (avg) | 39.8 |
| 29:05 | Time of possession/game | 29:36 |
| 37% | Third down conversion | 38% |
| 68% | Fourth down conversion | 58% |
| 26.5 | Points allowed/game | 24.4 |
| 385.5 | Total yards allowed/game | 326.4 |
| 185.4 | Rush yards allowed/game | 121.2 |
| 200.2 | Pass yards allowed/game | 205.2 |
Kentucky is coming off a 48-point win over the 49ers last week, totaling 415 yards rushing for its fourth-best single-game performance in UK history. UK tailbacks Jojo Kemp and Boom Williams each had career days, with Kemp rushing for 165 yards and three TDs. Williams had a pair of rushing scores, collecting 140 yards on 16 carries. Freshman Sihiem King got into the action with 91 yards on five attempts. UK’s defense also turned in a strong performance, holding Charlotte to a late fourth-quarter touchdown and getting interceptions from defensive tackle Cory Johnson and freshman safety Mike Edwards, with Edwards returning it 20 yards for a TD.
UK and Louisville will be meeting for the 28th time, including each since 1994. The series is led by the Wildcats 14-13, with each team winning eight games in Lexington. The Cardinals have won four consecutive meetings in the series, including a 44-40 thriller in 2014.
Cat Scratches: Cats Asking for Difference-Making Crowd for Louisville Showdown
A season ago, Kentucky and Louisville played to a near draw in their annual Governor’s Cup showdown.
The game featured seven lead changes, the last coming on a U of L touchdown with 2:47 remaining to give the Cardinals their final margin of 44-40.
Any number of factors could have swung the game’s outcome, from a dropped pass to a missed tackle to a call going the other way. That includes the venue.
Last time, Louisville played in front of its home crowd. For the rematch on Saturday, it’s Kentucky’s turn…Read More
THE GOVERNOR’S CUP
• The Governor’s Cup was created in 1994 as the trophy for the winner of the Kentucky-Louisville game. Donated by The Kroger Company at a cost of $23,000, the Governor’s Cup stands 33 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. The trophy’s base and upright columns are hand-milled black marble. The glass components are optic-grade crystal. All metal parts are 23-karat, gold-plated brass. The cup itself is made of pewter with a 23- karat gold-plated finish.
• The cup was designed by Kendall Costner and sculpted by James Corcoran of Bruce Fox, Inc. The Kroger Company also is involved in supporting academic pursuits at the schools. Kroger is donating $10,000 to each school for each year the game is played. Kroger’s donations now total $420,000 – $210,000 to each school.
SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday will mark the 28th all-time meeting between Kentucky and Louisville with the Wildcats leading the series 14-13.
• UL has won each of the last four meetings dating back to 2011.
• The two teams first met in 1912 and have met annually since 1994. Kentucky won the first seven meetings in the series.
• This is the second time the teams have played in the regular-season finale, also done in 2014.
• Louisville won the last meeting between the two teams in Louisville, 44-40.
• Biggest UK win: 73 (73-0) in 1922 in Lexington
SCOUTING THE CARDS
• Louisville enters the matchup with Kentucky sporting a 6-5 record and a 5-3 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Cards are coached by Bobby Petrino in his sixth season at Louisville, including his second year in his current term at the helm of the Cardinals.
• The Cards suffered a 45-34 loss at Pitt last week, which snapped their four-game winning streak to earn bowl eligibility. UL has wins over Samford, NC State, Boston College, Wake Forest, Syracuse and Virginia.
• UL has averaged 398.7 yards per game offensively, averaging 145.6 rushing and 253.1 passing yards per game. Defensively, UL has limited opponents to 326.4 total yards per game, 121.2 yards rushing and 205.2 passing yards per game.
• QB Lamar Jackson has passed for a team-high nine TDs and 1,483 yards on 115-of-200 attempts. Fellow QB’s Kyle Bolin and Reggie Bonnafon have also seen significant action, with Bolin throwing for 1,109 yards and seven scores.
• Jackson has rushed 124 times for 548 yards and seven TDs, with junior RB Brandon Radcliff owning 525 yards on 114 carries and five TDs. WR Jamari Staples has 35 catches for 599 yards and three TDs. WR James Quick has four TDs on 31 catches and 457 yards.
• Joshua Appleby has a 40.5 yard average on 58 punts and veteran kicker John Wallace is 14-for-19, with a long of 50.
• Defensively, LB Keith Kelsey has 98 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. CB Trumaine Washington has four interceptions and S Chucky Williams has three. Junior LB Trevon Young has a team-high 8.5 sacks.
LAST MEETING IN THE SERIES
• Louisville won the last meeting in the series, 44-40 in the River City to end the regular season.
• The two teams squared off in a thriller, with UK jumping out to a 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals in the first quarter and then stretching its lead to 13-0 with a Boom Williams rush. The Cardinals scored a pair of touchdowns to regain the lead, before UK CB Fred Tiller picked off a pass and took it 40 yards for a TD and a 20-14 UK lead. The Cards then answered with a 47-yard drive to end the half with a 21-20 lead.
• After DeVante Parker and Kyle Bolin connected on a 33-yard strike to take a 28-20 UL lead in the third quarter, UK cut it to two with a pair of Austin MacGinnis field goals.
• Defensive lineman Mike Douglas scooped up a fumble and rumbled 30 yards for a score and a 33-28 lead. The Cards then drove 96 yards to take the lead, adding a Wallace field goal with 6:30 remaining for a 37-33 lead.
• UK then answered with a three-play, 75-yard drive to take a 40-37 lead. The Cards finished the game with a seven play, 81-yard drive with 2:47 left in regulation for the game-winning score.
• UK rushed for 151 yards in the game, throwing for 176 yards. Louisville totaled 472 yards of offense, with 389 coming through the air.
• Williams led UK with 126 yards and two scores on 18 carries. UK QB Patrick Towles threw for 176 yards on 14-of-29 attempts
• Louisville QB Kyle Bolin came off the bench to throw for 381 passing yards and three TDs. Brandon Radcliff rushed 21 times for 67 yards and two TDs. Parker had three touchdowns on six catches and 180 yards.
• UK was led defensively by 11 tackles from LB Ryan Flannigan. Bud Dupree had a sack and three tackles, forcing two fumbles in his final game as a Wildcat.
